How we deal with concerns of abuse or neglect

Some stories sent to Patient Opinion may raise concerns that someone, or some people, are being abused or neglected.

Concerns like this are also called safeguarding or protection issues.

Patient Opinion itself has no powers to investigate concerns about abuse or neglect, but we can help to make sure such concerns are reported to the proper authorities.

How we act on concerns of abuse or neglect

The first thing we do, for every story we receive, is to ask: “Does this story raise any concerns suggesting current abuse or neglect?”

If the story does raise such concerns, we will not publish it on Patient Opinion. Instead, if we judge the story author is able to report their concerns, we will direct them to the proper authority, according to their location.

If we judge the story author is unable to report their concerns themselves, Patient Opinion will forward the story to the relevant proper authority. We expect this to be a rare event.